A lot of dog owners will attest to the fact that while dog training can come with a host of challenges, knowing that your dog improves with it makes it so much worth the effort.
Proper dog training means your dog is more sociable, agreeable, and – most important of all – will be a whole lot safer.
This is especially true when you are in a public place and there are things in the environment that can potentially put your dog at risk of peril. In which case you will want to have a way to avoid it.
Recall training, in particular, is very important. This is something that you will want to prioritize once you get a dog. If your dog is a puppy, it will be in the best possible position to learn, perfect, and make a habit of a lifetime out of this training protocol.
Exclusive Bonus: Step-by-step checklist for puppy recall training to ensure your dog comes to you every time you call. (Download Here.)
But even if your dog is more mature, he will still benefit from recall training. As long as you begin on the very first day that you get your dog or you learn about recall training.
When your dog easily comes to you when called (which is the end result of proper and consistent training), you have within you the power to save your dog’s life if he is not leashed or when the two of you are out on a walk.
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Using Paper Plates for Recall Training
The basics of recall training are fairly simple, but here is another effective way to go through that – but this time with the use of paper plates!
It might seem unusual, but this method makes the entire training procedure a lot more fun. While ensuring that your dog ends up learning to come back when called.
Recall training with paper plates turns the exercise into a game, which will surely motivate your furry friend and help improve your relationship with it at the same time.
1. Issue the command for your dog to sit, then tell it to stay once it meets the command.
Next, place one paper plate on the floor at a distance of about 1 foot from your dog. Put a small doggie treat on the plate (preferably one that you know he already likes). Tell the dog to move forward to get the treat and allow him to eat it.
2. Allow your pet to consume the treat fully, and then call him back.
For this next step, it will help if you use short phrases such as “Come here now, boy!” to further emphasize the call.
Likewise, a simple keyword such as “Come!” will also suffice. Just make sure that you verbalize these commands using an excited voice. This is so that your dog will make its way to you much faster and will be in the mood to see what will come next.
Furthermore, giving out shorter commands are a lot easier for many dogs to understand because it is just the keyword that they need to be attuned to.
If your dog still needs more practice in this, keep doing it (including giving him the treat) until you see that he can reliably return to you after.
3. Change the place where you put your paper plate.
Once your dog gets used to seeing the plate right in front of him, it is time to switch things up so as to take the training to the next level. This time, move it much farther away from your dog (and yourself as well), and then go back to Step 2.
You need to repeat this step many times, and each time that your dog is able to meet it with success your task is to move it just a bit farther away again.
As you do so, remind your dog that he has to stay each and every time prior to you walking away so you can place the plate on the ground.
4. Incorporate a second paper plate into your routine.
Once you have the single paper plate routine down pat, it is time to add another paper plate to your training to extend your dog’s understanding of recall training.
The second paper plate must be placed at a distance that is equal from your dog and yourself, but this time in the opposite direction.
Give the signal to your dog to approach the first paper plate so he can eat the treat. Then call him back to you before you give him the signal to go ahead and approach the second paper plate with the second treat.
5. Add variations to your game as soon as your pet confidently and successfully executes the two paper plate portion of your drill.
This time, you can put one plate behind him before giving the signal to go and get the treat.
Alternatively, you can also call your pet back just before he makes his way to the plate. Then when he approaches you, hand him another treat if he is able to obey the new and unexpected recall command.
6. Give out random recall commands throughout the day.
By this time, your dog should already know to reliably return to you each time he is called for the paper plate drill.
When such is obvious, it is time to give our random commands at times when he is some distance from you. You can even do this when he is running away), which is a good way to put his recall skills to the test.
What you should remember to do each time is to give him a treat with each obeyed command so the behavior is reinforced.
Over time – and with a lot of patience – coming to you when called will be an easy task, even when there is no treat that awaits him after!
Another important thing to note is that you have to ensure your dog’s comfort and adeptness in each step of this recall training prior to taking it to the next level so your dog will not be confused.
If you approach training in this manner, you will surely have a dog who is able to come when called.
Here’s the next step:
If you’d like something as a reminder when you are recall training your dog, then download the bonus below.
You’ll receive a free step-by-step checklist that shows you the process to ensure your dog comes to you every time you call.
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